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Page 1: The Journal RICS Building Conservation 07DECEMBER Conservation Journal... · 2018-03-17 · 4 Building Conservation Journal December 07 This year, the floods hit most of Yorkshire

07DECEMBERThe Journal

RICS Building Conservation

Corporate Professional Local

www.rics.org

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December 07 Building Conservation Journal 3

Contents

4 From the chairman

Representing the forum

6 RICS Awards 2007

Ecclesiastical exemption

8 Heritage down underThe challenges a conservation professional faces in Australia

12 Shaky foundationsCould energy-saving legislation pose a threat to historic buildings?

14 But are they safe? How much protection is given to unlisted buildings in conservation areas?

18 Don’t let the heat outA senior building control surveyor looks at the impact of Part L

Masters of their craft20 A bricklayer and red mason

The beauty of brick explained by a master bricklayer

24 Carrying on the traditionA master blacksmith talks about his passion for iron

26 The long-term viewThe history and work of a firm of conservation builders

28 Straight into the hit paradeA contender for the alternative Top 10

29 Book reviews

30 The RICS Awards 2007 Project of the Year and commendations

Contacts

Editor Jan AmbroseT +44 (0)20 7695 [email protected]

Production managerMichelle Harradence

Sub-editorPhillip Blanshard

AdvertisingGrace Healy T +44 (0)20 7490 5644 [email protected]

Designed and printed byAnnodata Print Services

Published by theRoyal Institution of Chartered Surveyors12 Great George StreetLondon SW1P 3ADT +44 (0)870 333 1600www.rics.org

ISSN 1469-5421

While every reasonable effort has beenmade to ensure the accuracy of allcontent in the journal, RICS will have noresponsibility for any errors or omissions inthe content. The views expressed in thejournal are not necessarily those of RICS.

RICS cannot accept any liability for anyloss or damage suffered by any person asa result of the content and the opinionsexpressed in the journal, or by any personacting or refraining to act as a result of thematerial included in the journal.

Any dispute arising out of the journal issubject to the law and jurisdiction ofEngland and Wales.

All rights in the journal, including copyright,content and design, are owned by RICS,except where otherwise described.

Front cover: The sparks are flying as ablacksmith works on Pontymoile Parkgates in South Wales (see Masters oftheir craft pages 20-25).

Printed on a combination of sustainableand recycled paper.

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4 Building Conservation Journal December 07

This year, the floods hit most of Yorkshire and partsof the Midlands in June; they arrived in my part ofthe world on 20 July. I was in Gloucester, and by theafternoon, flood water was coming up throughmanholes and many roads were closed. Finding myway home became quite an adventure.

Many parts of the country were flooded and on a larger scale than in previous years. Insurancecompanies are threatening to reduce the cover for flood damage as insurance is only intended tocover the infrequent event.

The lower Severn Valley is flooding on a regularbasis: one church has been a victim on severaloccasions and the parish is looking at measures toreduce future damage. In July, it flooded to over 1m above floor level. The remedial work has yet to be specified, but is likely to include: • ensuring that all lower level plaster is lime plaster• removing the damaged 19th century pews and

replacing them with chairs• removing the timber pew platforms and installing

a new stone floor with underfloor heating• running all services above the flood level• raising the organ above the flood level, with

additional storage space for small items.• considering providing drain holes or ‘scuppers’

at the bottom of the walls to aid removal of flood water.

Insurance companies could well make suchmeasures a condition of policy cover in the futurewhere buildings are at particular risk. At present,specialist insurers like the Ecclesiastical InsuranceGroup, which insures the majority of Anglicanchurches, will continue to honour flood damageclaims, but that could change.

Historic buildings that have flooded should beallowed to dry out slowly. Greater damage can becaused by modern techniques of accelerated drying.The areas at greatest risk are timber and joinerydetails, but these can probably be saved if propercare is taken. English Heritage’s technical advicenote Flooding and Historic Buildings gives usefuladvice on action to be taken and disaster mitigation.

Increased risk of flooding is only one aspect ofclimate change, of course. The farming industry isnow having to cope with diseases like bluetongue,which usually prevails in southern Europe. We couldfind that wood-boring insects which are common insouthern climes may well find their way furthernorth. Wind speeds are increasing and moredamage is being caused to buildings as a result.

As conservation professionals, we should recogniseand be ready to meet the challenge of climate change.

Henry RussellChairmanRICS Building Conservation Forum

Chairman

Building Conservation has undergone some pretty radical changessince its first publication (a few of us remember that far back). Theseinclude the first colour shots and more recently, its incorporation intoRICS’s fold of publications. There may be future cosmetic alterationsbut what remains crucial is the quality of the content.

It’s good to learn that Building Conservation is respected both withinRICS and by outside organisations, but, as the saying goes, there isalways room for improvement. To help the editor, Jan Ambrose,maintain the existing high standard and make the journal more relevantto conservation professionals, an Editorial Advisory Group (EAG) hasbeen set up. This comprises Nick Hill, historic buildings surveyor withEnglish Heritage and currently Apethorpe Hall project director; PeterNapier, a building surveyor in private practice, and me, a quantitysurveyor specialising in conservation working for Bare Leaning & Barein Bath. Additional expertise is welcome: if anyone would like tobecome involved then please contact me at [email protected]

Part of the EAG’s goal is to ensure that Building Conservation remainsrepresentative of the forum membership. Feedback is essential, and thegroup was delighted to receive just this, albeit in the form of clarificationto Tony Redman’s article (Taking a good look) in the last issue.

The Forum Board has recently become larger and there has been a surge of activity: the conservation guidance note is scheduled forpublication next year (a major achievement): work on several ‘dos anddon’ts’ continues and the Summer School is set for revival (incidentally,any offers of help in its organisation or running at the RoyalAgricultural College in Cirencester will be appreciated).

After the last Board meeting, we met our architect conservation-accredited counterparts to discuss similarities, differences, difficulties andthe potential for joint action. Hopefully, this just might be the beginningof something bigger and better, but there remains a need for increasedmember involvement across all the regions. We are keen to instil evenmore activity and will be looking at holding other events, some exclusivelyfor forum members. Ideas are being considered and we also want tohear about and promote any regional events organised by members.

If we can achieve these objectives, then forum membership will meanmore than just receiving Building Conservation, great though that is.

Adrian Stenning Bare Leaning & [email protected]

Chairman’s report

Representing the forumAdrian Stenning introduces the Editorial Advisory Group

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RICS Awards

Letter

6 Building Conservation Journal December 07

Kew Palace won the RICS Building ConservationAward 2007 at a gala event in London in October.Regarded as the ‘Oscars’ of the built and naturalenvironment, the RICS Awards recogniseexcellence, value for money and a commitment to sustainability.

Sponsored by Wesleyan Group, the BuildingConservation Award honours conservation in all itsforms and covers renovation or conversion to new or original use. The judges paid particular attentionto the construction materials and techniques,conservation achievements, background researchundertaken and the project’s long-term prospects.Sixty-eight entries were received in this category in 2007.

Kew Palace was built in 1631, and was the home of King George III from 1801-1816. A straightforward assignment to make the buildingwatertight quickly evolved into a major 10-yearrepair, conservation and interpretation project. It is now complete and part of Kew Palace’s history is now on show to the public.

The Historic Royal Palace team had to decidewhat to leave and what to restore to enunciate the building’s past: typically, the Palace had been colour-washed to make Kew look grander. Afterconsiderable debate, the red ruddle limewash wasreapplied, providing the palace with a startlingly rich façade.

Paint analysis and broader documentary researchprovided clues to the original decorative schemeschosen by Princess Elizabeth, which were replicatedto provide a picture of authentic early 19th centurystyle. Other repairs used traditional techniques such

as hair lime and gypsum plasterwork and replicationof the Brussels carpet.

The team decided to leave the upper floorsuntouched, revealing to the public rooms which hadnot been seen for centuries. Visitors can closelyinspect walls that have not been painted for nearly200 years and admire fragments of 18th centurywallpaper and wafer-thin 19th century glass withoutbarriers or display cases.

Project teamClient/occupier: Historic Royal Palaces Architect: Purcell Miller Triton LLPStructural engineer: Cameron TaylorServices engineer: Chapman BatthurstQuantity Surveyor: Heritage Cost Consultants

For pictures of RICS Project ofthe Year and commended projectsfor achievements in buildingconservation, please turn to page 30

The deadline for RICS Awards2008 is 18 January

RICS award for Kew Palace

Ecclesiastical exemptionTony Redman’s article on inspecting churches(Taking a good look, Building Conservation,September 07) gave the impression that theecclesiastical exemption from listed building controlscovered ‘Jewish synagogues, some Muslim mosquesand Sikh temples’. In England and Wales, theEcclesiastical Exemption (Listed Buildings andConservation Areas) Order 1994 restricts theexemption to buildings belonging to specificdenominations listed in the Order: broadly, the Church of England, the Roman Catholic Church, the Methodist Church, the United Reformed Churchand the Baptist Unions of England and Wales.

Unless the denomination is listed in the Order, it isnot exempt in England and Wales from secularlisted buildings processes when developing listedplaces of worship.

In Scotland, listed places of worship of all faiths and denominations are exempt from the need toobtain listed building consent. However, a voluntary scheme is in place whereby a number of Christiandenominations, all members of the ScottishChurches Committee, have agreed to apply for listed building consent in respect of works that may affect the character of the exterior of listedchurch buildings.

Jeremy DannSenior policy advisorPolicy, strategy and resource unit Architecture and HistoricEnvironment Division Department for Culture, Media and Sport

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Australia

8 Building Conservation Journal December 07

fter 16 years working in planning andbuilding conservation for an English localauthority, I was ready for a new challenge,

not to mention a change of climate. With a sense of adventure, and my worldly possessions packed in a 20ft container, I headed with my husband andWelsh terrier ‘down under’ to Melbourne, Australia.

Although historic buildings in Victoria tend to beless than 150 years old, there are some remarkableheritage places in Australia dating from thesettlement of the first Europeans. Some areincluded here for their uniqueness and to illustratethe challenges involved in heritage conservation on the other side of the world.

The definition of ‘heritage’ in Australia is broaderthan in England. In Victoria, it includes buildings,objects, collections, places, trees, gardens,archaeological sites and relics, and shipwrecks.Places may be associated with social or culturalvalues and architectural or historical significance.

In Australia, cultural heritage is protected at alllevels of government: commonwealth, state andlocal levels. There are eight states or territories.Heritage Victoria is the Victorian state government’sprincipal agency for cultural heritage issues: theHeritage Council of Victoria is the expert statutorybody for determining matters relating to culturalheritage.

A

Melbourne’s Royal Exhibition Building is on the World Heritage list1

Heritage Victoria administers The Heritage Act1995, the primary heritage legislation in the State ofVictoria, which covers places and objects of culturalheritage significance (but not aboriginal places orplaces of natural significance. Working for HeritageVictoria, I am involved with places on the VictorianHeritage Register, of which there are more than2,000. These are deemed to be of state significance(and may also be included on the National HeritageList2), and would be equivalent to Grade I or II*listing in England and Wales.

I perhaps wasn’t prepared for the climate hereand the challenges that this presents. Australia has

Heritagedown underPaula Judson describes the challenges of working in historic building conservation in Australia

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Australia

December 07 Building Conservation Journal 9

been described as a land ‘of droughts and floodingrains’3, and during the past two years, I haveexperienced drought, bushfires, floods and snow.With summer temperatures reaching 42°,dehydration is a real risk: currently, Victoria isexperiencing an extended period of drought, whichhas exacerbated the risk of wildfires. During the2006-2007 bushfire season, over 1m hectares of public land were burnt in Eastern Victoria, withextensive damage to private property. Firefightersattended more than 900 wildfires during this fireseason4 (the 30-year average for the same period is around 450 fires). Several buildings were lost,including a timber trestle bridge on the VictorianHeritage Register. Floods in Gippsland washedaway the heritage-registered Cheynes Bridge, builtin 1947 and one of the last remaining large timberand steel composite bridges.

Victoria is located in south-eastern Australia andcovers an area of 228,178k2 (88,100 square miles)and is home to a population of 4.8m5. In comparison,England has an area of 130,410k2 (50,352 squaremiles) and population of 50.4m6. Outside the mainpopulation centres, towns are scattered across awide area, and many heritage places are in remotelocations, making site visits an expedition. I once gotlocked in a public toilet in a secluded rest area justoff the highway, around 21⁄2 hours north-west ofMelbourne. Many roads are no more than dirt tracks,and some sites are inaccessible in the winter.Victoria is also home to a number of poisonoussnakes, and the estimated 50m kangaroos inAustralia (they outnumber people by 2.4 to 1) can be a hazard on the roads.

I have faced issues that I had not encountered in the UK, including ‘novel’ materials and unfamiliarbuilding types, and how to conserve these.

The resourcefulness of early Australian settlers is evident. I have seen buildings constructed out offlattened kerosene tins and primitive materials suchas wattle and daub and bark. Many early buildingswere prefabricated and shipped to Australia. There is also a long tradition of recycling buildings.

Victoria developed rapidly after gold wasdiscovered in 1851. Immigrants brought differentskills and tradition, resulting in an eclectic‘assortment’ of building forms, using materials suchas timber, brick, stone (bluestone, a volcanic basalt)and roofed with shingles, galvanised iron and naturalWelsh slate (many of the latter have been replaced,as slate is prohibitively expensive to repair). Manyprestigious buildings were constructed in the late19th century from the proceeds of the Gold Rush. ❯❯

The stables at Barnawartha Homestead (c1852), constructed of local rubble stone, have an unusualbark ceiling with hay loft above. Few examples of this primitive type of construction survive

I have faced issues that I had notencountered in the UK, including ‘novel’materials and unfamiliar building types, and how to conserve these

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Australia

10 Building Conservation Journal December 07

Ellerslie Bridge, built in 1867. This historic timber trestle road bridge needs extensive repair before it can accommodate even pedestrian traffic. Limited funding forredundant bridges makes its continued existence tenuous

This timber trestle bridge has extensive timber decay and termite infestation. Ithas been awarded $152,000 for repairs from the Heritage Council

This 184 ft woolshed at East Loddon Station, constructed around 1871, is one ofthe largest remaining in Victoria

❯❯

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Australia

December 07 Building Conservation Journal 11

It is common for buildings, including houses, to be constructed around a timber frame withweatherboard cladding, and roofed with profiledmetal sheet; historically this was galvanised iron but gradually this has been supplanted byColorbond® or Zincalume®, although this is resistedin the case of those on the Victorian HeritageRegister. A total understanding of the local materials is part of the experience of working in a different context.

It is very difficult to find craftsmen with the skillsand experience to repair historic buildings. Fewengineers understand historic building behaviourand can apply the conservation principles in theAustralian ICOMOS Burra Charter7.

Similar issues to those in England include damp(typically the result of ineffective roof plumbing andpoor drainage) and salt damage to masonry. Lack ofmaintenance is common, especially with places atrisk. There are numerous examples of structuralfailure, often due to shallow foundations, reactiveclay soils, and surface and sub-surface moisture,exacerbated by ill-conceived alterations or neglect.

The cultural heritage significance of a place canoften be more than architectural and/or historicinterest. Each place on the Victorian HeritageRegister has a Statement of Significance identifyingwhat is important: a well-conceived statement is invaluable.

A further example of good practice adoptedwidely here is the preparation of ConservationManagement Plans (CMPs), which set out what is significant in a place and, consequently, whatpolicies are appropriate to retain that significance.For most places it deals with the management of change8.

Well-researched and informative CMPs are helpfulfor ongoing management, especially in identifyingthe range of values, evaluating the relativesignificance of parts of a place, and providingdirection when changes or reuse are beingconsidered. The value of Australia’s cultural heritageand wider community and economic benefits of theregeneration of heritage buildings are still beingdiscovered. Building surveying in the UK sense isnot widely recognised in Australia: historicconservation is generally carried out by architects.The Australian International Council on Monumentsand Sites (ICOMOS) is the peak body forconservation professionals.

According to RICS Oceania, there are 1,200RICS members in Australia; enquiries suggest that Iam the only UK building surveyor working principallyin historic building conservation, so I feel somethingof a pioneer.

I am fortunate to be involved in the repair andreuse of places at risk in Victoria. The skills andexperience gained as a building surveyor working in historic conservation in the UK have been readilytransferable to my new role. I consider I am wellequipped for the challenge of managing heritagebuildings in Australia.

Do I miss England? I don’t miss the weather.My feet are firmly planted on Australian soil, and I am proud to call Australia home.

Paula JudsonConservation officerHeritage [email protected]

Further reading:

Don Chambers (2006),Wooden Wonders:Victoria’s Timber Bridges,National Trust of Australia(Victoria)

Clark, K ConservationPlans in Action. London:English Heritage

Heritage Victoria (March2003) Conservationmanagement Plan Brief

Institute of HistoricBuilding ConservationHeritage Conservation inAustralia, Context 87November 2004.

Pearson, Michael andSullivan, Sharon (1995),Looking after HeritageBuildings, MelbourneUniversity

Young, D A 1994 Risingdamp and salt attack.South Australia,Department ofEnvironment and NaturalResources and the City of Adelaide Heritage ConservationTechnical Note

For more information visitwww.heritage.vic.gov.au

Paula Judson is a member of theRICS Building ConservationForum. The views expressed are her own and do notnecessarily represent those of Heritage Victoria

References 1 UNESCO, World Heritage List http://whc.unesco.org/en/list

2 The National Heritage List is a register of places of outstanding indigenous, built or natural heritage values, established by the Environment Protection Biodiversity and Conservation Act 1999. The Act is administered by the Australian Government Department of Environment and Heritage (DEH) www.environment.gov.au/heritage

3 Dorothea McKellar (1904) My Country

4 Department of Sustainability and Environment www.dse.vic.gov.au

5 Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2006 population estimate www.abs.gov.au

6 UK population statistics, 2005 population estimate www.statistics.gov.uk

7 Australia ICOMOS (1999), The Burra Charter: The Australia ICOMOS Charter for the Conservation of Places of Cultural Significance, Deakin Universitywww.icomos.org/australia

8 Kerr Semple, J (1996), The Conservation Plan: A Guide to the Preparation of Conservation Plans for Places of European Cultural Significance, National Trust of Australia, Sydney

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12 Building Conservation Journal December 07

Shaky foundations

overnment would have us believe energyperformance certificates

(EPCs) on buildings are a silverbullet that will transformperception and action when it comes to energy usage.

While I am not against EPCsand the need to understand howbuildings perform thermally, thetruth is that they are, at best,rough estimates of a building’spotential for energy efficiency. At worst they could be a liabilityand when they are, it is likely toaffect historic buildings most ofall – specifically, the one in fiveresidential homes that were built in the UK before 1918.

The data gapThe problem with the productionof the EPC itself is the scientificdatabase on which the energyrating is based. The RdSAPsoftware provides thebackground data against whichthe building is measured. Theassessor looks at the building –its size, construction and featuressuch as double-glazing, the kind of roof, the kind of floors,insulation, services. Once those features have beenrecorded, the calculator churnsout a figure, which is convertedto the energy rating.

But the scientific data on whichit is based comes from the thermalperformance of modern materials.That is fine for new buildings, butfor old or unusual buildings it isnot much use. So the assessorhas to make assumptions. Totake an extreme example: an old cottage built of earth or clay and thatch isn’t representedin the database. The closestapproximation might be a cavitywall and a tiled roof. So there is a question over how accurateassessments of houses likethese can be, using modern data.

G No-one knows the answer. If we had data relating to suchmaterials, we might find someforms of historic buildingsperform much better than therating, and some much worse.EPCs are always going to be avery, very approximate guide. Andthe older or more unusual thebuilding, the more approximatethe assessment will be.

Insulation overloadThe second problem – which isrelated to the lack of scientificdata – is that we assess buildingson how much heat materials loseand then go down the route ofinsulating and sealing buildings.

That’s fine if you want to stopheat getting out, but in summer,insulation and sealing makebuildings too hot and you have to cool them down… hence theuse of air-conditioning, which isincreasing in both residential andcommercial buildings. So wewant to cut down on energy use,but we have to step up our air-conditioning.

However, if you look at historicbuildings in countries warmer thanours, you discover that they relyon thermal mass for temperaturecontrol – i.e. very heavy structureswith thick walls function totallydifferently from the rest and keeptemperature relatively stable. (The July 07 issue of the Building Surveying Journal,which is available as a pdfdownload for RICS members on www.rics.org, carries an articleon thermal mass.)

In the same way, big residentialhouses function differently fromsmaller ones. We don’t know ifit’s better or worse, but it isdefinitely different. Yet a verylimited methodology is beingused to assess all buildings. Infact, the buildings are far morecomplex than the methodology.

Innocent buildings The next problem is what you dowhen you have got an EPC.Government makes a big play ofhow EPCs will make a greatdifference to energy use. That’srubbish. As things stand, EPCswill not make a difference toenergy consumption.

Take an eccentric characterliving in an old building. He haslog fires, uses candlelight, cookson charcoal… hardly uses anyenergy at all. By contrast, you canhave the most energy-efficientbuilding around, but fill it withteenagers who use appliances allthe time and keep the heatingturned up high and you’ve gotmajor energy use in what couldbe a very energy-efficient home.

The fact is that EPCs could bea useful tool, but only if combinedwith general education on energyuse. People have to understandthat the use of a building is agreater problem than the building itself.

Who knows best?The next problem is therecommendations that flow fromEPCs. Assessors who deal withlisted buildings are supposed totake into account therequirements of getting consentfor the works. For example, theycan’t recommend double-glazingfor a listed building.

But the question is, how many assessors areknowledgeable enough tounderstand the implications of their recommendations?

Many old buildings are notlisted, but perform thermally justthe same as many historic, listedbuildings. That means one in fivedomestic buildings in the UK (those built before 1918)performs technically quitedifferently from a modernbuilding. So we have a problem.

In the scramble to introduce HIPs and EPCs, little has been said about the threat to historic buildings that overzealousenergy-saving measures could pose. Stephen Boniface explains

Another issue is the effect thatworks can have on a building ifthe person doing the works doesnot understand the technicalperformance of the building.There are ways of sealing olderbuildings that allow them tobreathe and function in thetraditional manner, but thisrequires quite a detailedknowledge of what’s available in the market and how it works.

For example, modern insulationmaterials tend to lose theirinsulating properties when wet. If these materials trap moisture inan old building and don’t allow itto move through, they won’t beeffective insulators and all sortsof problems can develop, such as rot and infestation. The correctmaterials are available, butrecommending them requires a higher level of knowledge.

A further problem is theworkmanship itself. If insulation is not complete and there arehidden gaps, heat will be lost and the money spent on thework could be totally wastedbecause the expected benefitswill not materialise.

English Heritage is trying toaddress these problems byworking on guidance to helpowners of older buildings and

Stephen Boniface

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December 07 Building Conservation Journal 13

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guide them on what energy-saving measures could beappropriate. We hope it will beout later this year. Although it will be directed at owners oflisted buildings, the guidance will apply to all older buildings – including the wide range ofproperties built before 1918.

Reality checkWe cannot act soon enough. If you think about it, the fourbedroom-and-bigger houses thatneed a HIP tend to be the olderhouses. So problems will showthemselves pretty quickly. Ifpeople rush in and undertakeworks they think will improve theenergy rating, they mayexperience various forms ofdampness, such as condensation,and they might well see morerapid deterioration of buildings.

The underlying message forthe domestic market is • don’t believe the EPC is the

be-all and end-all• don’t assume the EPC is

particularly accurate• think very carefully about any

works aimed at improving

energy efficiency, and considerthe impact on the technicalintegrity of the building.

At the end of the day, the singlemost important thing is how weuse the building and energywithin that building.

Improving the dataIt might sound obvious that oldbuildings are different frommodern ones and that one set ofscientific data cannot apply toboth. But you will not hear a wordfrom government – for them, it’ssimply too difficult. Governmentwants quick, easy wins; they don’t want to get embroiled in matters like this. This is not aquick, easy matter.

In years to come, moreappropriate scientific data maybecome available. I believeGermany has some scientificdata related to older buildingsand the way they functionthermally, but just because theEU decides something – such asthat all member states mustintroduce EPCs – doesn’t meanwe all share resources and

It seems obvious that big houses would function differently from smaller ones, thermally, yet the data on which EPCs are based does not differentiate

People have to understand that the use of a building is a greaterproblem than the building itself

information. From what I’ve beentold, we’re dealing with it slightlydifferently from the way the othercountries are. There is no EU-wide methodology or data.

It is vital that we deal withenergy consumption and energyefficiency, but don’t let us getcaught up in a headlong rush toupgrade buildings unthinkingly.

And a final word of warning. Inour concern over energyefficiency, we must not lose sightof sustainability. There is no pointin saving the world from globalwarming, only to find we haveplundered and used up theearth’s resources in so doing.

Very little is said about‘embodied energy’, which is thetotal energy associated withbuilding components such asbricks and sash windows,including the energy used in theirmanufacture and transport,installation and maintenance. Toconsider these components onlyin terms of thermal energy is tomiss out on the whole issue ofembodied energy. But that isanother topic that is ‘too difficult’for many, such as government.

We have a duty, as surveyors, to consider all aspects whenadvising property owners. It issaid that more energy is used to produce a new, double-glazedunit than would be saved byreplacing an old, draughty sashwindow. We need to thinkcarefully about how EPCs areused and we have a duty toadvise clients in a way that notonly improves energy efficiencyand energy consumption, butdeals responsibly with thebuilding and has due and properregard to long-term sustainability.

Stephen Boniface is chairman ofthe RICS Building SurveyingFaculty, a past chairman of theRICS Building ConservationForum, a member of the Institute of Historic BuildingConservation and a member of the Academy of [email protected]

This article originally appeared inthe September/October edition ofthe Residential Property Journal

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14 Building Conservation Journal December 07

But are they safe?Peter Napier looks at unlisted historic buildings in conservation areas

s development land becomes increasinglyshort in supply, inevitably there will be morepressure on planning authorities to allow

redevelopment of existing sites in towns and cities. Some may involve unlisted buildings inconservation areas.

How safe are these buildings against applicationsto demolish them?

Local planning policy often advises on thesesituations but PPG15 gives the more robust criteria.If it can be shown that a building makes a positivecontribution to a conservation area, then theguidance states that the consideration fordemolition will be the same as if it were listed. PPG15 (para 3.5) advises considering the following:• the importance of the building in both national

and local terms• the particular physical features of the building • the building’s contribution to the local scene,

townscape or landscape • the extent to which the proposed works would

bring substantial benefits for the community.

In addition, PPG15 provides that where proposedworks would result in total or substantial demolitionof the listed building (or qualifying unlisted building),Secretaries of State would expect the authority to:• address the building’s condition, the cost of

repairing and maintaining it in relation to itsimportance and the value derived from itscontinued use

• demonstrate the adequacy of efforts made toretain the building in use

• demonstrate the merits of alternative proposalsfor the site.

The weakness in the system of protection is that it applies to those unlisted buildings regarded asmaking a positive contribution in conservation areas. While experts may agree and officers may recommend refusal, in a democratic system,elected members could disagree and resolve to allow demolition. It is important that electedmembers are told why a building makes a positive contribution.

ARiverside scene in Shrewsbury conservation area. The white building is The Maltings; to its right is The Stew. Shrewsbury and Atcham Council offices is the largebuilding on the right

The weakness in the system of protection is that it applies to those unlisted buildings regarded as making a positivecontribution in conservation areas

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December 07 Building Conservation Journal 15

❯❯

Sandby etching of the area now containing The Stew. The building on the right behind the Severn trow is thought to be the merchant’s house as it may have appearedbefore being extended

EH’s booklet Guidance on Conservation AreaAppraisals (visit www.english-heritage.org.uk) setsout 10 important questions. This guidance, althoughconsultative rather than statutory, would assistdecision makers.

Inevitably, developers will try to get consent todemolish unlisted buildings in a conservation areaand employ experts to prepare their case: localplanning authorities (LPAs) should appoint equallyskilled consultants.

This situation can be illustrated by twoapplications for redevelopment of two riverside sites,both involving the demolition of two town centreunlisted historic buildings. Both applications,considered by the same committee on the samenight, were supported by reports from variousprofessionals describing the very poor condition ofthe buildings. All made robust cases for demolition.

The LPA also obtained specialist opinions on oneof the buildings from the building controldepartment of an adjoining local authority, whoagreed with the applicant’s structural engineer.

Unconvinced, the LPA engaged an independentstructural engineer claiming to have experience withhistoric buildings who agreed that demolition wouldbe appropriate.

Still unconvinced, the LPA employed a buildingconservation accredited chartered building surveyorand an accredited structural engineer. Bothconsultants categorically concluded that the casefor demolition could not be substantiated. The LPAthen employed a quantity surveyor and a valuationsurveyor, who concluded that a case could be madefor repair and reuse of the buildings. As a result,officers recommended both applications be refused.

The two buildings, The Maltings and The Stew,represent the only two remaining riverside buildingsfrom the days when the River Severn was anavigable trade route. Listing for The Maltings wasdeclined because English Heritage (EH) consideredthat the building lacks the necessary degree ofinnovation and architectural interest.

The Stew started life around the late 17th centuryas a town house. Its proximity to the riverside

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suggests it was a river merchant’s house. The remainsare still intact and the west and north elevations stillvisible, albeit with bricked-up windows. By 1832, thehouse had been added to several times to createthe present warehouse-type structure.

EH stated that these alterations prevented the building from being considered for listing.Notwithstanding that the original house has beenaltered, its appearance is one of a River Severnnavigation warehouse building. In its completedform, it is not that much altered, and EH’s refusal to list it came as a surprise. The presence of thevirtually intact merchant’s house within this buildingcan only add to the architectural interest.

In a local context, its presence provides an important visual link with theprevious use of this area as aquayside. Although there are manysimilar townhouses in Shrewsbury,none have gradually developed intoa warehouse, as this one has done.

The internal layout is unchangedand the whole building is much as itwould have been in 1832. It is a raresurviving example of a River Severnside warehouse and merchant’shouse. EH stressed that, notwithstanding its decisionnot to list, it believed the building made a positivecontribution to the Shrewsbury Conservation Area.

The application was for the redevelopment of thesite with a new hotel, and the new design was apastiche of the building to be replaced. While theapplicant argued that repair and reuse of theexisting building would not be economically viable,the chartered building surveyor reporting for theLPA disagreed. Although the original openings tothe house and warehouse had been bricked up, they could be reopened and windows similar inarchitectural style to buildings of the same periodelsewhere in the town could be used. Missing partsin the surviving original stone string course andquoins on the west elevation could be repaired andreinstated. As it was not listed, the normalpresumption that conjectural reinstatements werenot appropriate could be relaxed.

In this case, the building’s contribution to theconservation area was the important criteria. If itwas retained, it would seem appropriate to providewindows befitting to the period of the variousphases of the building even if to do so wasconsidered conjectural. The applicant repeatedlydenied this was the case.

Perspective of The Stew produced by the council to illustrate how the building could be presented in arepair and reuse of the existing building

It was clear thatthe membersdid notunderstand the building’spositivecontribution to theconservationarea

Documentary evidence confirms that The Maltingswas built some time before 1829 as a maltings. The building is adjacent to the riverbank, also shown from documentary records as having been a ‘quayside’. In its letter declining to list the building,EH confirmed its belief that it contributed to theconservation area.

The development control and environmentalprotection committee considered the proposedredevelopment of The Maltings to apartments and a restaurant, with an option to purchase the sitesubject to planning permission. The architectsargued that the building should be demolishedotherwise it would deteriorate and appear whollyincongruous against a nearby new developmentwhich had been granted planning permission. The application was refused.

The Stew application then came up forconsideration. Perversely, the committee membersallowed this application against officers’recommendation even though the arguments weremuch the same as with The Maltings application.

Replacement proposals for The Stew building

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December 07 Building Conservation Journal 17

Clearly, the members did not understand thebuilding’s positive contribution to the conservationarea: some actually spoke about its dilapidatedappearance with no suggestion that this would be improved by reuse and repair.

However, the committee could only decide certaincategories of applications. The council’s constitutionrequires that where any decision is made againstofficers’ recommendations, the application must bepassed to a higher committee.

Local policy states that no building contributing to a conservation area shall be demolished, nor canany new development which involves demolishing anunlisted building be permitted unless that buildingdoes not contribute to a conservation area.

Both EH and the planning officers believed thatthe building contributed to a conservation area, so itshould have been referred to the main planningcommittee, but this did not happen straight away.

Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council soldThe Stew building on a 999-year lease, eventhough the purchaser had stated his intent to applyfor consent to demolish the building. An applicationsubmitted before completion of sale was refusedbecause of doubts about the proposed new building.Despite this, the purchaser bought without planningpermission, although the council as landlord indicatedit would not object to demolition: the application thatwas refused was made after completion.

Owing to pressure from local residents, thedecision notice was not issued. Finally, theapplication was referred to the Secretary of State,but was not called in and was returned to the LPA.The council referred the application to the mainplanning committee, but before it met, the structuralengineer’s report, which had been supported by anindependent engineer and building control surveyor,was discredited and withdrawn.

The planning committee resolved to refuse theapplication. (If the structural survey report had notbeen challenged, it could have contributed to adecision to allow demolition.)

It was central to the applicant’s case that becausethe building had been refused a listing, its historicsignificance was of less importance. The applicantalso argued that the building did not make a positivecontribution to the conservation area. (Althoughdilapidated, it could easily have been repaired andreused.) Some members agreed that the area wouldbe improved by its demolition and replacement.However, a subsequent appeal lodged against therefusal of consent for demolition of The Maltingswas refused.

Seven of EH’s 10 suggested questions onconservation appraisals could be answeredpositively in this case. Ironically, the appellant’s ownexpert set out several features that qualified thisbuilding as making a positive contribution.

The inspector, having heard evidence, made a siteinspection. He concluded that the building was inbetter condition than he had expected and could be repaired and reused.

The appellant submitted a development appraisalto demonstrate that retention of the building wasnot economically viable (this claim was largely based on costs that the council’s experts considered inflated).

Experts on both sides gave evidence relating torents and yields. The inspector concluded that therenovation and repair of historic buildings can be anuncertain venture, and there was an argument forsaying that yields must be increased to reflect this.However, he confirmed that the building had plentyof potential and was neither physically orfunctionally obsolete, agreeing that the council’sdevelopment appraisals would more closely reflectthe costs and returns that would be anticipated by a developer willing to take on the building.

The appellant’s expert argued that the proposalsfor the new building featured an award-winningdesign, but having reviewed the evidence, theinspector decided the overwhelming benefits to thecommunity would come through the retention andreuse of the existing building.

These two cases demonstrate that developers willput intense pressure to gain planning permissionsfor redevelopment of town centre sites even if thisinvolves demolishing unlisted buildings. Informationincluded with the applications may be biasedtowards the proposals or even false.

Conservation officers need the support of theirsenior managers as the application process can betime consuming and costly. Planning officers mustfully evaluate the supporting information. Developerscan afford to invest significant resources because ofthe financial rewards. These are often not matchedin the development control annual budget for theemployment of suitably qualified experts.

The future of The Maltings is now with the ownerand any future developer. At the time of writing, noappeal has been submitted against the refusal toallow the redevelopment of The Stew. If and whenan appeal is submitted, the arguments will be muchthe same as for The Maltings.

It will be interesting to see what an inspector will decide.

Shrewsbury and Atcham BoroughCouncil appointed the followingconsultants to advise them on thetwo applications and subsequentappeal on The Maltings:

Peter Napier, buildingconservation accredited chartered building surveyor

Jon Avent, conservationaccredited chartered structuralengineer; director of MannWilliams, Bath

Tim Pook, Pooks CharteredSurveyors, Shrewsbury

Adrian Stenning, quantitysurveyor, Bare Leaning and Bare,Bath

Wilf Jones, quantity surveyor, John Pidgeon Partnership, Shifnal, Shropshire

Richard Morriss, archaeologist,Morriss Associates, Minsterley,Shropshire

Peter NapierPeter Napier and [email protected]

The renovation and repair of historic buildings can be an uncertain adventure

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Don’t let the heat outHugh Johnson discusses energy efficiency in traditional buildings

or over a year now, I have been representingthe Building Control Faculty on an EnglishHeritage (EH) review panel. The panel is

looking at almost 50 proposed information andguidance sheets advising on the relationship of Part L with varied types of traditional, listed andhistoric buildings. In this context ‘traditional’ means‘buildings of solid-wall construction built withpermeable fabric that both absorbs and readilyallows the evaporation of moisture’.

Part L is broader in scope than other planningcontrols in conservation areas. These controls onlyconsider the proposed development’s impact on thecharacter and appearance of the conservation area:in practice this means only some external works.The exemption from Part L applies to works thatwould affect the character or appearance of anypart of the building, including its interior.

Special consideration for historic buildingsAlthough there is no definition in Part L for historicbuildings, additional special consideration is affordedunder Part L to ‘buildings with special historic orarchitectural value’. These are:• listed buildings• buildings situated in a conservation area• locally listed buildings• buildings of architectural and historical interest

within national parks, areas of outstanding naturalbeauty and world heritage sites.

When undertaking work to these buildings, the aimshould be to improve energy efficiency where it ispractically possible. Work should not prejudice thecharacter of the host building or increase the risk oflong-term deterioration of the building fabric orfittings. Remember that a conservation areaboundary line will encompass buildings of noparticular merit, which should not enjoy theexemption the generality of the note confers.

A historic building in its townscape or landscapesetting, complete with its interior decoration, fixturesand fittings, can be regarded as a composite

F

. . . the aim should be to improve energyefficiency where it is practically possible

Work should not prejudice the character of the host building

The change from traditional to modernconstruction began in the Victorian era with theintroduction of damp-proof membranes and wascomplete in the 1950s when cavity wallconstruction became almost universal.

Perhaps the most important publications forbuilding control and conservation professionals are: A Summary for Development Control andConservation Officers and A Summary for BuildingControl Bodies. These give an introduction to thephilosophy of the other specific advice notes andguidance sheets in the series; discuss the protectionof historic and traditional buildings; point out specialconsiderations; highlight exemptions from Part L andacceptable measures; offer alternative approachesand compensating measures for thermal insulationupgrading; give guidance on calculating andunderstanding U values and SAP ratings.

Exemption from Part LListed buildings and buildings in conservation areasare exempt from Part L of the Building Regulations,where compliance would unacceptably alter theircharacter or appearance. In most cases, theacceptability or otherwise of particular improvementmeasures will be clear and can be agreed inpreliminary conversations with building control. Ifthere is any doubt, the local conservation officershould be able to help.

Listed building consent is required for any worksto listed buildings that would affect their characteras a building of special architectural or historicinterest. If the terms of the listed building consentrule out standard methods of complying with Part L,the conservation officer can advise the buildingowner to consider alternative ways of improving thebuilding’s energy efficiency. The exemption from

work and a document of history. Historic buildingsvary greatly in the extent to which they canaccommodate change without loss of their specialinterest. Some are sensitive to even slightalterations, particularly externally, and where theyretain important interiors, fixtures, fittings and details. Others may have changed significantlyduring their lives and could comfortably acceptfurther change. These considerations will influencethe extent of change that is appropriate to improveenergy efficiency.

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Before making any changes to a historic building, its significance should be identified and considered.Some buildings or parts of buildings are of suchquality, importance, or completeness that theyshould only be altered in the most exceptionalcircumstances.

If possible, alterations should be designed so thatthey can be reversed without damaging the existingfabric. This is especially pertinent where thechanges are to building services which are rapidlyevolving technologies and have correspondinglyshort lifetimes.

The information sheets are not a carte blancheexemption for these buildings, but a consideredapproach to a reasonable standard of improvementand guidance if enforcing Part L has a detrimentaleffect on the building fabric. Using the informationand guidance sheets will give building controlsurveyors the confidence that they are working witha document that will lead to a reasonable andconsistent solution. Sometimes the guidanceextends into other Approved Documents. In thecase of Part C, this may state that you should omitthe damp-proof membrane from an extension: this iswhere you will need a very professional attitude.

Also on the review panel are building controlsurveyors from the public and private sector, CLG,planners, conservation officers, heating andventilation engineers, architects, BRE personnel anda number of EH representatives.

The many and varied publications include specificbuilding examples from which more exact guidancecan be decided, including:• thatched buildings• insulating pitched roofs and flat roofs• internal and external insulation of walls• converting barns to dwellings• timber-framed buildings• Georgian terraced houses• Victorian and Edwardian terraced houses• schools and ecclesiastical buildings• windows and doors• lighting, boilers and ventilation.

This comprehensive library is very useful ininterpreting and enforcing Part L without damagingthe fabric of buildings worthy of specialconsideration and protection.

It is hoped that the guidance documents will bepublished in the very near future.

Hugh Johnson is chief building control officer withNorth Kesteven District Council

An EH review panel is considering the effect of Part L on traditional buildings such as this

Exemptions from Part L apply to works that would affect the appearance of the building

Buildings in conservation areas are exempt from Part L, where compliance would unacceptably altertheir character or appearance

This article originally appeared in the July/August edition of Building Control

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Masters of their craft

A bricklayer and red masonDr Gerard Lynch, master craftsman, author and educator, talks to Jan Ambrose

hen Gerard told his late father about his choice of career, Jim Lynch smiledwryly and said: “Don’t just be an average

bricklayer, be a good one.” The reason for the smile,Gerard believes, is because having left school withonly a couple of ‘O’ levels, he really didn’t know whatto do. A gifted sportsman, he excelled in boxingwhere he met some Irish builders who helped him to get into the building trade. Before long, Gerardwas working as a ‘chain boy’ with the site engineerand setting out levels. It was the engineer who toldGerard to get a craft.

In 1972, he went to work for Michael Broderickand Sons as a labourer, but within weeks, he wasassigned to the general foreman bricklayer, alwaysreferred to respectfully as Mr Quill. Gerarddiscovered his destiny; he fell in love with brickworkand asked Mr Quill if he could learn from him. Herecalls: “It wastough going – Iworked a 51⁄2 dayweek and thenenrolled on a day-release City & GuildsCourse inbrickwork andassociated studiesat Mander (nowBedford) College.In those days, thefour years atcollege was preceded by a ‘proofing year’ when youproved your worth to the company; this made up thefive years’ apprenticeship.”

The course comprised general and industrialstudies (including health and safety, BuildingRegulations and brickwork theory and technology). It was very comprehensive: “In subsequent years, we revisited some topics at a deeper level,” saysGerard. “There was a high element of practicaltuition. In the first year, we built fairly basic models,which were dismantled after assessment. By thefinal year, we had a maximum of seven ongoing and very challenging projects.”

Gerard, obviously taking dad’s words about beinga good bricklayer to heart, attained his City & GuildsBasic Craft Certificate with three distinctions. Duringhis apprenticeship, which was financed by his family,Gerard moved to a firm called G Powell, whichundertook more historic projects: “I was moreresponsible now and being put in charge of jobs,” he says. “I took pride in my work, which the

labourers picked up on, and we worked welltogether.” He started to buy books on the history ofbrickwork; some of the older workers contributedtheir old craft books and today he has a huge library.

Once again, he attained outstanding results forhis City & Guilds Advanced Craft Certificate, gainingthree distinctions. Because of this, and hisexceptional practical work, he was awarded theBrick Development Association’s Silver Trowel and the first ever Gold Trowel.

A fully qualified ‘journeyman’, he moved to a firmcalled Neals, which specialised in both historic andmodern projects. Because of his natural talent andeye for detail, he loved ‘cut and rubbed’, or gaugedwork, which he describes as the “quintessentialexpression of the bricklayer’s craft – all I’d learnthad led to that point; the aspect no-one knew about I simply researched and taught myself”.

His skills were continuallydeveloping, but therehad been sacrificesalong the way: heremembers a major buildingslump halfwaythrough hisapprenticeship that affected bothnewbuild and repairwork: “I begged for100 bricks, some lime

and sand, so I could keep practising while therewere no projects,” he says. “This meant several tripsto the builders’ yard with a wheelbarrow to get thestuff home, and hours afterwards dismantling themodel I’d worked so hard to make.”

He successfully applied for a position as alecturer grade I at Bedford College; he says now helearnt from teaching, and he had complete empathywith his students. Subsequently he was appointedHead of Trowel Trades, where, despite a tightbudget, he pioneered a revival of interest in allaspects of brickwork.

His innovative ideas at Bedford College attracteda great deal of attention, particularly his teaching ofgauged brickwork (in which he is considered one ofthe world’s leading authorities) from those within theprofession, including Professor John Ashurst, whoencouraged Gerard to publish his personal writingson the subject (Gauged Brickwork: A TechnicalHandbook)*. John, who recognised that Gerard’sskills were needed out in industry, spread the word:

WHis skills werecontinuallydeveloping, but there hadbeen sacrificesalong the way

Red mason quote from J Moxon 1703 Mechanick Exercise or theDoctrine of Handy-Works, applied to the Art of Bricklaying © Dr Gerard Lynch

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December 07 Building Conservation Journal 21

Gerard at Jigginstown House, Eire, showing how to build the string course

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“Don’t just be an average bricklayer, be a good one”

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Masters of their craft

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Gerard began to receive offers of consultancy work,and was invited to write and lecture for professionalorganisations, including the then RICS ConservationMovement and SPAB.

Things were really looking good – but thentragedy struck in May 1991. Five weeks before thebirth of his second child, his 15-month-old daughterwas diagnosed with a potentially fatal illness.

“It was a dreadful time,” says Gerard. “Myemployers were totally supportive, but I didn’t liketaking significant leave to be at hospital with mydaughter while my wife looked after our newbornson. I was also unhappy with the looming advent ofthe NVQs, which I believed were not going to be ofthe quality of the old system.” After a great deal ofheart-searching, he handed in his notice, which wasreluctantly accepted.

Fortunately, it was the right decision. His daughtersurvived, and is now a healthy 17-year-old; theconsultancy side took off, with commissions fromprivate individuals and practices, the National Trust,English Heritage, and Historic Royal Palaces. He started lecturing and holding masterclasses at the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum, for prestigious professional organisations all overthe world, and academic institutions, includingCambridge University

Today, his expert opinion is regularly sought forproposed repairs and restoration for many buildings,some of huge national importance, such asHampton Court Palace, the Royal Albert Hall, theOld Admiralty, and Windsor Castle. He also acts asexpert witness within his field of expertise and runscourses on various craft subjects, including bespokecourses in his own workshop. He published hissecond book: Brickwork: History, Technology andPractice* in two volumes.

Among his awards is the Winston Churchill Travel Fellowship for which there were over 2,000applications. This meant he could fulfil a long-helddesire to research origins of gauged work bystudying the historic use of post-fired workbrickwork in the Netherlands and Flemish regions of Belgium and France.

Despite his gruelling schedule, he had someconcern about his lack of high-level academicqualifications. Dr David Watt, formerly senior lecturerin architectural conservation at De MontfortUniversity suggested Gerard took a Masters DegreeCourse in Building Conservation at the university byindependent study. This 18-month course includedseveral tough assignments, including a 20,000-word essay on causes of failure of traditionallyconstructed brickwork and its conservative repair;Gerard’s final dissertation, out of his primaryresearch in the Low Countries, was GaugedBrickwork: Tracing the Netherlands Influence. Withhis MA in the conservation of historic brickwork(awarded with distinction) safely under his belt,Gerard was encouraged to go further by Dr Watt.After three very hard years of independent study atDe Montfort, he was awarded a doctorate in historicbrickwork technology. His PhD thesis English GaugedBrickwork: Historical Development and FuturePractices reflects his years of original research.

In 2006, he was keynote speaker at a conference for the Kentucky Heritage Council and given the title of ‘Kentucky Colonel’, theCommonwealth’s highest honour, for his significantcontribution to craft education and training. He is affectionately known in the USA as the redmason, a historic English term for the hewer ofbricks: Gerard jokes that it is also linked to his once red-coloured hair.

Brickwork isbeautiful: theBedford crest,carved ingaugedbrickwork byGerard

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Masters of their craft

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Gerard carving the Frederick Seal: he gifted the completed work to the city

*All Dr Lynch’s books are available from RICS Books T +44 (0)870 3331600 F +44 (0)20 7334 3851 [email protected] or www.rics.books.com

For further information on the work of Dr Gerard Lynch, visitwww.brickmaster.co.uk

This year, he received the Askins Achievement Award at the International PreservationTrades Workshop in Frederick, Maryland, an award made yearly to nominees who have

made outstanding contributions to preservation trades education and training. As partof a demonstration he finished an in situ carving of the city seal on an ashlared

panel of gauged brickwork surrounded by a bullseye arch he had set out and builtin his workshop. He gifted this beautiful work to the city, and it will be mounted in the

proposed new visitor centre. Elsevier has published his latest book, The History of GaugedBrickwork:* as with his other books, he will give the first copy to Mr Quill, who, Gerard says, set the

ball rolling.Gerard remains unaffected by the fact that he is widely recognised as a leading master bricklayer, author

and consultant on historic brickwork and educator of his specialist knowledge. He is, however, concerned aboutmodern craft training. “We’re just turning out boys and girls who are ‘fixing’, not ‘crafting’,” he says. “There’s nothingwrong with fixing skills in themselves, but we’ve lost the essence of knowing materials through working with them,which has been essential for quality work over the centuries.”

He tries to be positive and is now working with the National Heritage Training Group helping to teachcollege lecturers through a system called ‘Training the Trainers’.

His passion remains unabated: “I will not settle for second best in any area of my working life. I want to represent my craft honourably so people will say with respect ‘he is a good bricklayer’.”

Jim Lynch would have been so proud.

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24 Building Conservation Journal December 07

t was probably in Don Barker’s genes that hewould be a blacksmith; his paternal grandfatherwas a blacksmith, while on his mother’s side,

family members had been working in forges sincethe 1700s. But the 1930s was a bad time forblacksmiths, and so Don’s father went into theteaching profession. Don, who enjoyed craft andmetalwork at school, yearned to be a blacksmith, but opted for the slightly safer career ofengineering. He left his native Scarborough and became an apprentice engineer with aManchester-based firm.

“By the time I was 20, I had been involved withsome massive projects on the shop floor,” he recalls.“I then found myself with a dilemma – should Icontinue on the workshop, which was paying £15 a week, or move to the drawing office, which paid£17? I chose the latter, which I hated, but Ipersevered and qualified as an engineer.”

Don had always enjoyed working with wroughtiron outside of working hours, making presents forfriends. Eventually, requests for his ‘hobby’ becameso extensive that he was making as much inironwork as he was taking home in wages.

At the age of 38, he took the plunge, changed hiscareer focus, and moved full time into ironwork. Hisforge for the first six months was a small shed in hisgarden, but after that, and with the backing of theCouncil for Small Industries in Rural Areas, he tookon an apprentice (incidentally, he still believespassionately in apprenticeships, maintaining that youtrain someone and they learn by being in aworkshop environment).

“The business went from strength to strength,” hesays. “We were making hanging baskets, dog grates,signs, occasionally big gates and shop fittings,replacing railings (which we restored as authenticallyas possible) that had been destroyed in World WarII. The majority of our work was fulfilling domesticorders, and advertising wasn’t necessary – ourbusiness grew thanks to word of mouth.”

The business and commissions continued to grow. To date these have included: the new publicentrance to Westminster Abbey; an altar panel and tabernacle for the Shrine of Our Lady ofWalsingham; bronze handrails for Mousa Brochin the Shetlands; restoration of antique ironwork for titled estate owners and the National Trust;producing windows for listed buildings in mild steel,stainless steel and bronze; and electrically operatedgates for various estates in Europe and a CaribbeanHotel on the lsle of Nevis (“The last was probablymy best-known commission,” says Don.

Carrying on the traditionThere have been blacksmiths in Don Barker’s family since the 1700s. He talks to Jan Ambrose

“They famously kept the paparazzi out when PrincessDiana was holidaying there with William and Harry.”).

Don, who is predominantly self-taught, is anauthority on the various types of wrought iron:“Historic wrought ironwork is probably made ofeither ‘charcoal iron’, or more commonly, ‘puddled’iron,” he explains. “Puddled iron, a later and cheapermethod, was invented in 1784; production ceased in the 1970s, after the introduction of mild steel.”

Charcoal iron was produced by smelting iron orein a charcoal furnace. The process involved left thecharcoal iron with siliceous impurities (known asslag) of 2%, distributed in fine layers. A smallamount of carbon (typically 0.2%) was introduced to harden the iron and make it more serviceable.

The quality of puddled iron, produced in cokefurnaces, varied enormously and remained largelyunregulated until the introduction in 1910 of BritishStandard 51 for certifying wrought iron for railwaypurposes. This standard was extended in 1939 andin 1959 specifically for fencing.

Don’s material of choice for restoration and repairof historic wrought-iron work includes old wroughtiron salvaged from scrap metal or modern alternativessuch as mild steel, stainless steel, or pure iron.

Mild steel, which gradually superseded wroughtiron, is used for most new ‘wrought ironwork’ today.Because of its higher carbon content, mild steelrequires more effort to forge than either wrought or pure iron. Stainless steel is widely used wherecorrosion resistance and galvanic compatibility are important.

Pure iron is produced today by Corus in Englandin electric arc furnaces which can reach 1,900°C. At this temperature, the pure iron becomes liquidand can be tapped from the furnace. Primarily used for the manufacture of special steels and the pharmaceutical industry, it is also used byblacksmiths as an alternative to mild steel orwrought iron. Chemically similar to charcoal iron, butwithout the 2% slag content, it is 99.9% pure iron.

Wrought iron consists of fine layers of ironinterspersed with siliceous slags. When paintfinishes are not properly maintained, and the baremetal is exposed to the atmosphere, moisture canpenetrate the layers and oxidisation occurs. Thiscauses significant expansion of the material,pushing the layers apart with such force that therusting iron can break the masonry into which it isfixed. Severe corrosion will result in continuous lossof material, eventually wearing it away altogether.

Besides corrosion, other common problems areimpact damage (which can often be straightened

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Asked what he thinks theprofessionalorganisationsshould be doingin terms ofconservation, he is concernedabout the voidsof informationavailable

Master blacksmith Don Barker, Fellow of the Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths

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December 07 Building Conservation Journal 25

relatively easily) and previous inappropriate repair:this can include unsightly arc welded repairs orclumsy alterations to a site-specific piece. Because it is first to corrode, leafwork has oftenbeen stripped from ornate ironwork. Replacement is extremely expensive, and careful research may be necessary: old photos of the ironwork prior todamage can be extremely informative.

“The restoration of wrought ironwork raises many contentious issues, such as the degree ofintervention, how to remove existing paint and what to do about previous repair work,” says Don.“The answers are, of necessity, subjective, and must be agreed with all parties beforehand. I prefer pure iron because it has similar forgingattributes to new wrought iron. For replacement of leafwork, I use pure iron sheet laser-cut from a computer-generated image, then shape it using traditional repoussé techniques – a valuable marriage of modern technology withancient methods.”

Today, Don, who has over 25 years’ experience in restoration work is a fellow of the WorshipfulCompany of Blacksmiths: he has six employeesworking on the wrought iron side, and regularlytakes on contracts valued in the region of £250,000.

He has strong views, both about ironwork andconservation generally.

Firstly, he believes the restoration of wroughtironwork is a commercial undertaking which must be economically viable to encourage young blacksmiths.

Next, when asked what he thinks the professionalorganisations should be doing in terms ofconservation, he is concerned about the voids of information available: “No-one knows what the truth is and there are so many people makingfatuous statements that are not true,” he says.

Although at a loss to think of a favourite newbuilding, he compensates by choosing two oldbuildings, both stately homes in North Yorkshire –the mid-14th century Norton Conyers, which hasTudor, Stuart and Georgian additions, and the GradeI listed Newby Hall, setting for the film adaptation of Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park.

Overall, he admits to being very worried about the built environment: “Today’s houses are futureconservation projects – why are we living in a timewarp?” he asks. “We should be making buildings,like the Victorians did, that were designed to last.We’re creating a lot of problems – if we’re notcareful, we could be looking at the slums of thefuture designed by the architects of today.”An eye-catching example of Don’s work: the gate at All Souls Church, Halifax, West Yorkshire

“If we’re not careful, we could be looking at the slums of the futuredesigned by the architects of today”

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Feature

26 Building Conservation Journal December 07

The long-term view

he world of conservationwould have suffered agreat loss if Vernon Carter,

managing director of building andrestoration contractors, WilliamAnelay, had followed his firstcareer choice. Prevented by poor eyesight from joining theMerchant Navy, he was at a loss to know what else to do,although he knew it had to besomething practical.

When his careers advisorsuggested working on themanagement side ofconstruction, he wrotespeculatively to variousconstruction companies.Shepherd Construction, a majorYork-based company, repliedsaying it was taking on students.Vernon began his career as anindentured building student.Following a four-year formaltraining programme with them,during which time he gained hisHNC qualifications inconstruction, he worked withShepherds for a further fouryears as an estimator.

“At the end of eight years, Iwanted to widen my experience,”Vernon explains. “I worked fordifferent major contractors mainly

based in Leeds, includingWimpey, Norwest Holst, andWates Construction. I wanted a professional qualification, andWates supported me throughnight school where I gained myRICS membership.” (Doubtlessthis latter comment will strike a sympathetic chord with anyone who has undertaken an undeniably gruelling courseafter a hard day’s work.)

Now a qualified buildingsurveyor, Vernon wanted achange from run-of-the-millconstruction projects. In 1995, hewas invited to join William Anelay,

T a small family-owned organisation,as chief estimator/surveyor. “I’ve always been generallyinterested in construction andrestoration, but never beeninvolved in a practical sensebefore,” admits Vernon. He learntquickly in a hands-on environment,and pays tribute to the thenmanaging director of WilliamAnelay, from whom he gained a great deal of knowledge.

Some five years ago, Vernonfelt he needed to learn moreabout business management.William Anelay supported himthrough an MBA course at LeedsUniversity. He believes that hisMBA degree and membership of both RICS and CIOB

Another project: Wentworth Castle, near Barnsley, where £10.3m funding from HLF will see some 26 listed buildings and formal gardens restored to their former glory

demonstrate good business and construction knowledge.

Meanwhile, the seniormanagement team at WilliamAnelay realised that it wasconstrained by family ownershipand needed strengthening todrive the business forward. In 2002, Vernon becamecommercial director, and thentook on a joint managing directorrole with Charles Anelay.

“Over the last few years, theorganisation has slowly changedfrom a building contractor to acommercially led organisation,”he says. “We are makingbusiness plans and have a clearvision for the future. A couple oflarge and very attractive projects

Both Vernon Carter and the management team at William Anelay have a clear vision for the future

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Feature

December 07 Building Conservation Journal 27

St Jude’s, Hexthorpe, Doncaster built by William I in 1893. It is of Balby brickswith Ancaster stone dressing

William Anelay has worked on Clitheroe Castle, whose 12th century keep isreputed to be the second smallest in England

have both stabilised the businessand allowed potential for growth.”

Today, the firm’s work is indistinct divisions: projectmanagement, brickwork, carpentryand joinery, leadwork and roofing,masonry and building cleaning,stonemasonry, timber-framed,dismantling and construction,historic parks and gardens,private residences and propertiesand small works. It has 130 staff,comprising 30 professional andadministration staff and 100 siteoperatives and craftsmen. Former projects includedismantling three Scottishchurches and two lodge buildingsand shipping them to Japan, due to the country’s increasingfascination with the westernworld. Other work ranges fromsmall commissions andmaintenance (albeit in buildingssuch as Raby Castle in CountyDurham and Ripon Cathedral) to major projects, includingManchester’s Victoria Baths (a former winner in BBC TV’sRestoration series).Needless to say, William Anelayhas had quite a chequered historyduring its 260 years. The storybegan in 1747, John Thompson, a Doncaster building contractor,invited Thomas Anelay II to be his

partner in the business, devisingit to him at Thompson’s death in1771. Thomas Anelay’s day bookfrom 1772-74 confirm that heand his two men worked forDoncaster Corporation: theirprojects included ‘leading’ bricks,demolishing almshouses andbuilding causeways.

Ownership of the firm passedthrough the family, and in theearly 1900s, Thomas Anelay VIwas persuaded to open an officein York. The Doncaster office andyard finally closed in 1939.During the Second World War,Anelay’s carried out WarDepartment Term Contracts inYork and the East Riding, alsorepairing war damage followingair raids on behalf of YorkCorporation. After the war,housebuilding became a priorityfor the company.

During the 20th century, thefirm’s conservation projectsincluded repairs to castles andancient churches, restorations toYork Castle Museum, and workon the ruins of the 12th centuryKirstall Abbey and BishopthorpePalace, the Archbishop of York’sresidence. In 1972, Anelay’srestored Bishop Cosin’s library atDurham and the exterior ofDurham Castle’s Tunstall Chapel.

Despite the diversity of its 21stcentury work, William Anelay hasstayed true to its origins. Everycommission receives the samelevel of dedication and quality,regardless of the size of contract.The technical expertise of its staffguarantees that works are inkeeping with the original building,while often facilitating new internaluses. Delivery of high-qualitywork is coupled with close liaison

with clients to ensure theirstipulations are met. Disruption to the owner of the property orthe public is minimised by carefulproject management.

The years may have passed,but it is evident that the present-day firm of William Anelaycombines modern managementsystems and techniques with old-fashioned technical experienceand in-house craft skills.

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Inappropriate repairs

28 Building Conservation Journal December 07

Straight into the hit paradeDouglas Kent, SPAB technical director, puts forward a top contender for the alternative Top 10 ofinappropriate repairs

irport operator BAA mustremove unsuitable plasticdouble-glazed windows

that it has installed illegally in oneof the listed buildings it ownsnear Stansted Airport. Action isbeing taken against BAA afterthe Society for the Protection ofAncient Buildings (SPAB) alertedthe local authority.

The building, a Grade II listedtimber-framed and thatchedcottage, dates from the 17thcentury or earlier. Failing toobtain listed building consent forwork that affects the character ofa listed building is a criminaloffence, and Uttlesford DistrictCouncil is insisting that BAAsubmit a formal application toreplace the windows with moresuitable glazing. If it does notcomply, BAA could faceprosecution.

Douglas Kent says: “Puttingplastic double-glazed windowsinto an old building is likedressing your great granny up inhot pants. It looks horrendousand even from an energyconservation viewpoint is one ofthe least effective measures. Thisis sheer vandalism and shows ablatant disregard for the law.”

SPAB has been concernedabout listed buildings owned byBAA near Stansted for sometime. It hopes Uttlesford DistrictCouncil’s action in respect of theunsuitable windows will remindBAA that it is not above the law.

In addition, SPAB believesproposals for the expansion ofStansted Airport contravenegovernment’s planning policy forthe protection of listed buildingsand conservation areas. Itpresented evidence against theproposals at the Stansted G1Inquiry in September, contendingthat plans which could potentiallydouble the airport’s current levelsto up to 50m passengers a year

A

The offending windows – similar to dressing your great granny in hot pants?

would cause severe andirreversible damage to the local historic environment.

“The principal issues are setout in Planning Policy Guidance15: Planning and the HistoricEnvironment (PPG15) whichprovides a full statement ofgovernment policy,” says DouglasKent. “PPG15 reiterates theduties imposed on a localauthority by the Planning (listedBuildings and ConservationAreas) Act 1990 to:• have special regard to the

desirability of preserving thesetting of a listed buildingwhen considering whether togrant planning permission fordevelopment (section 66)

• pay special attention to thedesirability of preserving orenhancing the character andappearance of conservationareas (section 72).

“Paragraph 2.26 states that local planning authorities shouldtake account of the historicaldimension of the landscape as a

whole, encouraging developmentthat is consistent with its overallcharacter. The Air TransportWhite Paper 2003 acknowledgedthat the area around Stanstedhas an ‘attractive, varied landscapewith much valuable architecturalheritage that should be preservedas much as possible’.”

At the inquiry, SPAB arguedthat BAA’s application documentsfailed to take account of PPG15as it relates to the setting oflisted buildings, the character andappearance of conservationareas and the broader historiclandscape. Furthermore, BAA’sdocuments promote theeconomic benefits of aviation, yetignore the area surroundingStansted Airport, which is definedby its remarkable architecturalheritage. There are 161conservation areas in the threedistricts closest to the airport(Uttlesford, East Hertfordshireand South Cambridgeshire) and30,280 listed buildings or groupsof buildings. Within a 2km radiusof the airport, there are an

astonishing 128 listed buildings,many dating from the Middle Ages.

SPAB’s main concerns are:• additional building: threats to

the historic environment rangefrom inappropriate expansionof historic towns and villages topotentially destructive infillingto address the need for newhousing

• higher traffic volumes: ancientsteeply banked tree-lined lanescould well be obliterated forease of access

• pollution: increased noise fromaircraft and additional road andrail traffic.

Douglas Kent says: “BAA isgreatly playing down the qualityof the built heritage aroundStansted, and the damage itsplans would inflict on oldbuildings and their settings. Thisis presumably because it knowsthat this provides a strongargument against its massiveexpansion proposals. Centuries’worth of heritage cannot beswept under the carpet.”

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Book reviews

December 07 Building Conservation Journal 29

Book reviews Reviewed by Jim Humberstone

Discovering Medieval HousesAnthony Emery Shire Publications ISBN 9780747806554£10.99

A founder commissioner ofEnglish Heritage and fellow of the Society of Antiquaries,Anthony Emery provides acomprehensive but conciseaccount. In just 176 pages, he analyses the history of themedieval house in England and Wales since AD 500.

Emphasis is placed on suchaspects of their development as building materials, contentsand furnishings.

Above all, the political andmilitary context in which theywere constructed is scrutinised.He tackles head-on the issueswhich have generated suchdifferences of opinion amongstacademics, such as those relatingto the definition of ‘castle’ itselfand those raised by the topic of licences to crenellate.

This volume is copiouslyillustrated, with the list of

accessible properties at the end. The further reading sectioncontains a good spread ofreferences: particular useful arethose to older publications whichhave retained their academicvalidity. There is a comprehensiveindex subdivided by subject and location.

Discovering Medieval Houseswill be a worthy addition to any bookshelf devoted to thedevelopment of domesticarchitecture in Britain over the centuries.

Sacred Places: Sites ofSpirituality and FaithRebecca Hind 2007 Carlton BooksISBN 978184426300£20

The last decade has seen thegrowth of a movement whichreflects the spreading awarenessof the spiritual and culturalsignificance of sacred places and structures. It is closely linked with increasing interest in world religions.

Both books availablethrough RICS Books:T +44 (0)20 7333 1600(option 3)F +44 (0)20 7334 [email protected] www.ricsbooks.com

These products are notendorsed by RICS tradingas RICS Books. RICSBooks is simply the retailer

This is a book with a message ofguidance. As Rebecca states inher introduction, the beauty andvalue of sacred sites is enhancedif we enter with open andreceptive minds.

Her coverage is worldwide,subdivided by continent. Itincludes everything from placesof pilgrimage to wall paintingsites. Stone circles receivespecial mention alongside naturalfeatures that have mystic orspiritual importance. Of particularnote are monuments such asearthworks for which there is, asyet, no explanation. It does seemsstrange the author hasmentioned the stone circle ofCastlerigg and the megaliths ofCarnac, but omits Stonehenge.

The photography is stunning.Many of the images have thatquite indefinable but veryatmospheric feeling, which oftencharacterises one’s experience atthe site itself. One importantfeature of the book is the clearand concise explanation of thereligious and cultural backgroundto the site’s veneration.

Conversion of Traditional Buildings: Application of the Scottish Building Standards Parts 1 and 2Historic Scotland and the Scottish Building Standards Agency 2007As Scotland evolves again as a separate national entity, it is to be expected that its already quite individualapproaches to building conservation will be reinforced by new guidance.

Historic Scotland, the principal agency for building conservation north of the border, has established a finereputation. It has encouraged interest in the vernacular, stabilised and revitalised the traditional craft skill base,and helped reintroduce old methods. In furtherance of these aims, Historic Scotland has now published whatis in effect a two-part manual showing the practical application of the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004.

Part 1 covers issues ranging from the significance of a historic building to the treatment of hazardousmaterials and the application of VAT. Part 2 focuses on the measures to bring historic buildings back intouse, detailing provisions such as floor strengthening; fire protection and means of escape; and theinstallation of disabled access so that it results in substantial retention of significant features and thebuilding’s overall character.

British Standards play an important part in repair, conversion and reuse, with some two dozen quoted inthe bibliography. However, increasingly more localised influences are to be seen at work. For instance,Scotland now has the Stirling Charter published by Historic Scotland in 2006. The trend towards guidancemore specifically aimed at the Scottish conservation scene is likely to continue.

The two volumes constitute a comprehensive and well-presented compendium and are essential readingfor those working north of the border. They also provide a very useful basis of comparison with equivalenttexts for English and Welsh practitioners.

For more information, visitwww.sbsa.gov.uk

This 256-page publication runs the risk of being labelled as a ‘coffee-table book’, butdeserves to be treated a littlemore seriously. It is something of an eye-opener, dealing withthe global traditions of spiritualityand faith, in an increasinglysecular world preoccupied with materialism. It should beregarded as a stepping stone to more detailed studies.

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RICS Awards

30 Building Conservation Journal December 07

Project of the yearThe five-acre Oxford Castle Heritage Project(featured in the June issue of Building Conservation – see Conservation can be cool)is situated in the western part of the city centre, an area requiring significant redevelopment. Central to the brief was the restoration andconservation of the historic buildings, maximisingpublic access to the history of the site and securingthe area’s long-term future.

CommendationsIn 2000, the Stowe House Preservation Trust began an ambitious six-phase restoration andconservation programme. This award recognises the second phase which initially comprised repairsto the flat roof structure by reinstating matching oaktrusses, made on site using traditional techniques oflime and hair plaster on lath. Internally, the MarbleSaloon was renovated, including the RomanTriumphal frieze, which runs around the perimeter.All cracks in the 16 scagliola columns were filledand the Carrara marble floor carefully cleaned and conserved.

Also winner of the Community Benefit Award, the Grade I listed St Paul’s church is an importantexample of late-Gothic architecture. It had fallen into disrepair and The Churches Conservation Trust(featured in September’s Building Conservation)embarked on a £3.5m conservation programme.Decaying beams were replaced and extensiverepairs made to window stonework throughout;external stonework was cleaned and plasterworkframing the chancel restored.

Leased to Circomedia, a circus training school, St Paul’s remains a consecrated space, and hasbeen refurbished in such a way that the churchcould be returned to its original use.

Designed in 1858 in the Jacobean revival style,the Newtownards Primary School near Belfast was one of 28 model schools erected throughoutIreland in the mid-19th century. Listed B+ by theDepartment of the Environment owing to itsarchitectural and cultural significance, the buildinghad been neglected for many years until theDepartment provided £5m of funding. The projectinvolved raising and lowering floor levels, opening up classrooms and removing sub-dividing walls inthe lobby to create a more spacious entrance. The conservation strategy included the protection of the external appearance and replacement of theoriginal crown glass with heritage glass.

Project of the Year: Oxford Castle

Commended in the Conservation Category: Stowe House Restoration Plan Phase 2

Commended in the Conservation Category: Restoration and extension of Newtownards Primary School

2007The RICS Awards